Shuttle mechanism for looms



CII

Pari-mies Apr. 12, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JONATHAN LUCAS, OF SAVANNAH, GEORGIA, ASSIG'NOR TO LUCAS-LAMBORN LOOMCORIQORATION, OF NEW' YORK, N. Y., A COR'BORATION OF-NEVV YORK.

SHUTTLE MECHANISM FOR LOOMS.

Application filed May 16, 1525, Serial No. 30,656.

My invention relates to shuttle mechanism for looms and has for itsobject to provide a mechanism including a pair of inversely rcciprocatedsupporting devices whereby the shuttle is positively carried to and frothrough the shed and constructed in a manner to prevent interference orentanglement with the warp threads of yarns comprising` the shed and toprotect the shuttle against such entanglement. A further ohpjec-t of theinvention is to provide a construction in which the shuttle is capableof accommodating a bobbin of large size to thereby increase the yarncarrying capacity to a maximum extent. l'n addition. the inventioncontemplates a construction in which the transfer of the shuttle fromone supporting device to the other is automatically accomplished with aminimum of friction and in a uniform and positive manner. Other morespecific objects will appear from the description hereinafter and thefeatures of novelty will be pointed out in the claims.

ln the accompanying drawings, which illustrate an example of theinvention without defining its limits, 1 is a side ele- 'atiou of themechanism; Fig. Q is a fragmentary plan view partly in section; Fig. 3is a corresponding plan view showing the parts in a different position;Fig. 4 is a plan view of the mechanism and Fig. 5 is a cross- ,eectionon the line 5 5 of Fig. 3.

ln the drawings, 10 represents a portion of the loom developed toconstitute a guiding means extending transversely7 of the loom andinsuch relation to the customary shed Z) of warp threads as to permitthe shuttle a to be passed therethrough in the manner to be more fullyset forth hereinafter. A pair of carriers 11 of suitable form anddimensions are mounted slidably upon the guiding means 10 so as to beinversely reciprocable thereon toward and away from each other: themechanism whereby the inverse reciprocation of the carriers 11 isaccomplished may be of any suitable type, .auch as for instance is shownand described in my copeuding application Serial No. I'11,581 in whichcase the carriers 11 may bc connected with such mechanism by means oflinks 12. ln the illustrated example, the carriers 11 include members 13which are mounted upon uprights 11a and project toward each other andare preferably of tubu- Rencwed November 1, 1926.

lar construction in order to reduce the dead 55 weight to a minimum andat the same time provide a maximum of strength in said members 13; theouter ends of the latter are preferably bevelled or curved as indicatedat 13a and the outer surfaces of the members 13 are smooth and free fromprojectionsof any hind. In the illustrated example, the portions 13aLcomprise parts of the uprights 11a which form units with the members 13.

rlhe shuttle mechanism further comprises supporting` devices in the formof rods or lingers 14 and 1 a arranged in cooperating pairs upon therespective carriers 11 and projecting in directions toward each otherfrom the members 13, to which said fingers 14 and 14a are secured in anyconventional manner as by means of screws 15. In the preferredarrangement, the lingers of each pair are located above each otheralthough not necessarily in line; thus, as shown in Fig. 5, the lingers141 constituting one pair are located in spaced vertical registry witheach other while the fingers 14 comprising the other pair are spacedapart vertically but are not in vertical registry with each other. Thisarrangement is followed in the illustrated example simply to provideoperative space for other parts of the mechanism and may be changed tomeet other eX- isting conditions. In any case the position of the pairof fingers 14 on its carrier member 18 is olf-set with respect to thepositions occupied by the pair of fingers 14a on its carrier member 13so that the .fingers of one carrier are out of line with the fingers ofthe other carrier as shown by way of e-X- ample in the drawings, thepurpose of which will be pointed out clearly further on in thedescription.

1With the construction set forth, the shut- 95 tle a is provided withmeans arranged to cooperate with the aforesaid fingers 14 and 14L toestablish a supporting relation alternately with each pair of lingerswhereby the shuttle a is carried alternately by each car- 100 rier 11and transferred thereby through a portion of the warp shed o; it will beunderstood that the reciprocating movements of the carriers are suchthat the shuttle a will be carried thereby, back and forth 105 throughthe warp shed o to lay the filler threads. In the illustrated example,the shuttle a is provided accordingly with grooves 16 and 16FL locatedupon its upper and loiver faces, or upon those faces which liecontiguous to the paths ot travel ot' the aforesaid lingers 14 and 111,and extending lengthwise thereot as shoivn in 2 and 3. The axial lengthot the lower lingers ot' each pair 14 and 111 and preferably ot' theupper lingers also, with respect to the axial length ot the shuttle oand ot the grooves 16 and 16a is such that when in operative carrying`position in said agrooves the .fingers of each pair vvill extend, intheir projectingr directions, beyond the transverse centre of theshuttle o as slioivn in Figs. 2 and' ln this ivay the shuttle 0supported positively by both pairs ot lingers alternately, at a AtiXedlevel and aln'avs fixed )ositivelI against, tiltingout ot' its path oftravel. 1n the preferred construction, the grooves 16 and 1t?L taper'lengthwise from their entrance ends and the .lingers 1%1. and let aretapered correspondingly as shown in Fins. 2 and 3; as a result of thisarranggenfient the fingers Will contact with the ivalls ot the groovesonly at a point approximating the completion of the connection betweenthe shuttle and the fingers and prior' to such completion, Will be ontot contact with such Walls; similarly as the tingers are Withdrawn fromsaid grooves, disengagement between the Walls of the latter and saidlingers takes place almost immediately. Thus only a minimum ot frictionis developed between the lingers and the grooves as the transfer fromone carrier to the other takes place and a practically rubbing` actionbet-Ween the ivalls of the `grooves and the lingers and along the sameis eliminated.

For the purpose of lockingl the shuttle a alternately upon each pair oilingers 14 and 14e or in other Words upon the respective carriers 11,latchinp; levers 17 and 1'?a may be connected pivotally at 18 with thecarrier members 13 so as to be movable in horizontal planes as shown in2 and 3. At their free ends these levers 1T and 17'LI are provided withinclined surfaces 19 and'19a respectively and with hooks 19" and 19cadapted to cooperate respectively with lugs 20 and 20 located rigidlyupon the shuttle a at the proper points. Normally@ the hooks 19 and 19arest in such position that als the carrier members approach each other,the one or the other olf said hooks will rid-e up on ar tlanpe 21extendingy lengthwise ot' the shuttle, said hooks beinq maintained inand returned to said normal position by means oi" leat springs 22til-red upon the carri-er members 13 and having their `tree ends inengagement with the levers 17 and 17a; the extent to Which the springs22 can move the levers 17 and 17a is limited by the engagement of lugslll" on said levers with some nxed portions ot the carrier members 13:the lugs 2O and 2Ou are of such dimensions that the one or the otherof." the inclined surfaces 19 or 19, when the hook 19b or 19 is inengagement with the lug` 2O or 20a, as the case may be7 will .be locateooutwardly beyond the path travelled by the tree end ot the other leveras shown in Fig. 2. 1With this arrangement. the 'tree end oit the onelever Will be projected beneath the tree end ot the other lever. as thecarriers approach their innermost positions`v and by co-action with oneor the other ot the inclined surfaces 15)' or 15) will disconnect onehook automatically trom its lug and at the saine time connect the otherhoolr autoilatically with the other lug. ln this way, the shuttle o islocked automatically upon the supporting devices l-l and 11.1"alternately to eiiect the transfer of the shuttle. a trom one carrier tothe other.

As shown in the drawings, the novel cari free than in looms in which theWarp thread i.

carrying` capa-city is less. The tiller thread c passes trom the bobbin23 through an aperture 24. termed in the one end of the shuttle a shownin 1 and is inaintained under a tension sufficient to preventunintentional univinding ot the bobbin 23, by means of a tension devicethe latter, as shown in Figs. 1 and 5, comprises a lever consisting ot acontinuous Wire bent into ll-shape and tapered to torni an angle 26 inwhich the thread 7, seated. the tree ends of the Wire being lise-dpivotally in the shuttle in any convenient manner to permit the angle 26to bear against the thread c as shown in Figs. 1 and 5 and to hold thelatter by the graifital vvei vlit ot the device To prevent possitivelyinteri'crence and entaiuleinent `with the fai-p threads of the shed.even it said threads or any ot them should sag; or become breitemsiiields 2i' are provided which project from the respective carriermembers 123 in parallel relation to the axes ot the lingers 1-l and 1.4as shown in the drawings. The shields 2? extend beyond the free ends ofthe fingers 141 and 14a respectively and tern'iinate pre erahly in ta'-pered ends 28 as shown in Fig'. 1. said shields 27 being continued inthe torni ot' guards which, as shown in Fig-s. and cover and enclose thelingers 14E and 14a; the gruards 2f) merge .into the tapered end 2S otthe shields and into the carrier n'ieinhers l?) along sloping.` linesIl() as shoivn in l?" el so that abrupt edges in the direction of :hetravel of the carriers on Which the iiller A lill lll() lili thread cmay become caught are avoided entirely. The. shield of one carrier isolf-set with respect to the shield of the other carrier while the topguards 29 are cut away and arranged to overlap each other longitudinallyand transversely in stepped relation in the innermost position of thecarriers, as illustrated in Figs. el and 5. For the purpose ofstrengthening the construction and in particular to prevent vibration inthe fingers 1st and 1l, the latter may be attached to the guards 29, forinstance by rivets 31 or the like as shown in Fig.

Assuming the shuttle a is being supported by the fingers 14, the hook19b will be in engagement with the lug 2O and the lever 17 will bepressed againstthe latter by its spring 22. At the same time. the hook19c is pressed, by its spring 22, towards the upper linger 14a. ln theoperation of the loom the carriers 11 will move finally toward eachother in thel directions indicated by the arrows (Z in Fig. 2 and willapproach gradually their innermost positions, the shuttle ci at thistime being carried by the lingers 1l of the carrier 11. ln this way, theinnermost position is approached and the fingers 14L will finally enterthe grooves 16:L and travel lengthwise thereof to the linal innermostposition of the parts. It will be seen, by reference to Fig. 2, that thefingers lila do not Contact with the walls of the grooves 16a eventhough the final innermost position has almost been reached,

this being due to the tapered form of the' lingers and the grooves ashereinbefore set forth. As the aforesaid innermost position isapproached, the inclined surface 19a, by engagement with the flange 21and because of continued movement in the direction of the arrows (l willcause the hook 19c to ride up on the flange 21 against the tension ofthe one spring 22. This will finally bring the free end of the lever 17ainto engagement with the inclined surface 19 of the lever 17 as shownapproximately in Fig. 2 and as operation of the mechanism continues willexert a shifting act-ion upon said surface 19 against the tension of thecooperating spring 22 and thereby move the hook 19" out of engagementwith the lug 20. This will cause the hook 19b to ride upon the lever 17aat its free end, the hook 19C being snapped finally into engagement withthe lug a as soon as the latter has been passed. the position of theparts at this stage being as indicated in Fig. 3.

The shuttle a is now disconnected from the right hand carrier 11 andconnected with the left hand carrier 11 in Fig. 1. the fingers 14:being, at the same time. seated fully in the grooves 16a. Continuedactuation of the mechanism now causes the carriers to move away fromeach other in the directions indicated by the arrows e in Fig.

3, the shuttle a being carried to the left and passed through the shed cin this direction and then lback again to the right to the meeting pointwhere it is transferred back to the lingers 1l, disconnection of the tleto the right is continued because it is now carried by the fingers letand because the carriers 11 are moved away from each other again. thereciprocation of the carriers toward and away from cach other and theautomatic transfer of the shuttle from one set of fingers to the other,the shuttle a is carried positively back and forth through the shed tolay the filler threads c which are packed by the beater in the wellknown way.

As the carriers travel into the shed, the tapered ends QQ of the guards27 and the sloping edges 3l) of the shields 29 are always presentedvrirst to the opposite entrances thereof; as the carriers movebackwardly out of the shed. the bevelled or curved portions 1Saconstitute the advancing ends. Should the shed or any ot' the threadsthereof sag for any reason, these ends 28 and edges 30 and the portions13a will cam said threads aside and thus will prevent the same frombecoming entaiigled with the shuttle mechanism or any part thereof. Inthe innern'lost position of the parts, the shields 27 and guard 29 ofone carrier over lap the corresponding elements of the other carrier, sothat the shuttle a and associated elements. such as the fingers lav and14 are enclosed almost completely as shown in Fig. =lf and interferencewith the shuttle during its transfer from one carrier to the other istherefore prevented positively, in other words the shields and guards ofthe carriers constitute protecting devices which, in the aforesaidinnermost position of the parts co-operate to enclose the shuttle andits associated elements.

lilith the arrangement set forth, a supporting relation is establishedwit-h each pair of fingers and the shuttle whereby the latter' issupported positively at a fixed level against tilting out .of its pathof travel. Thus absolute axial registry between each pair of fingers andthe cooperating grooves of the shuttle is maintained so that the shuttlemay be reciprocated through the shed at high speed without danger ofclashing with cooperating parts and without interference with thetransfer from one carrier to the other. At the same time, the filler thiead c as it passes through the aperture Q4 of the shuttle is held underthe desired tension by the weight of the lever 25.

Various changes in the specific form shown and described may be madeWithin the scope oit the claims without departing from the spirit ot myinvention.

I claim:

l. In a loom, the combination ot' a shuttle, a pair of carriers arrangedto be reciprocated toward and away from each other, supporting deviceson said carriers for supporting the shuttle alternately on each ot' saidcarriers, the devices of each carrier being olf-set with respect to thedevices ot the other carrier and having operative supporting rangesextending over major portions of the axial length otl said shuttlewhereby the latter is supported at a fixed level against tilting out. otits path ot' travel, transferring means whereby said shuttle isautomatically transferred trom the supporting devices ot one carrier tothe supporting devices ol the other carrier and vice versa at sai dmeeting point, and shielding means extending over and beyond saidsupporting devices in the directions ot' travel and enclosing saidtransferring means whereby entanglement with the threads ot the shed isprevented.

In a loom, the combination oi a shuttle, a pair of carriers arranged tobe reciprocated toward and away trom each other, supporting fingersproject-ing toward each other on said carriers in cooperating pairs,means on said shuttle adapted to establish a supporting relationalternately with each pair ot lingers, the latter having operativelengths extending over major portions ot the axial length ot saidshuttle whereby the latter is supported at a lifted level againsttilting out ot its path ot' travel, each pair ot' fingers being olii-setwith respect to and capable of overlapping the other pair when saidcarriers are at their innermost posi tions, locking levers whereby saidshuttle is autoniatically transferred from the fingers ot one carrier tothe fingers of the other carrier, and locked thereon, said levers beingreleasable one by the other and shielding means extending over andbeyond said fingers in the directions ot' travel and enclosing saidlevers whereby entanglement with the threads ot the shed is prevented.

l. In a loom, the combination o' a shuttle having grooves extendinglengthwise ot the upper and lower faces thereot in oft-set pairs, a pairot carriers arranged to be reciprocated toward and away from each other,fingers on said carriers arranged in cooperating pairs, each pair beingolif-set with respect to the other pair and being arranged to enter thecooperating shuttle grooves tor supporting said shuttle alternately onsaid carriers` said fingers having axial lengths sutiicient to causethem to project into said grooves beyond the transverse centers thereofwhereby said shuttle is sup ported at a fixed level against tilting outor" vits pah ot travel, locking levers whereby said shuttle isautomatically transferred from the fingers of one carrier to the lingersot the other carrier and vice versa, guards extending lengthwise ot andbeyond each pair of lingers in the directions ot travel and shieldscombined with said guards and enclosing each pair o't fingers and thecooperating locking levers whereby entanglement with the threads of theshed is prevented.

el. In a loom, the combination ot a shuttle having grooves extendinglengthwise thereot' in oil-set pairs, said grooves tapering lengthwisetrom their entrance ends, a pair ot carriers arranged to be reciprocatedtoward and away :from each other, fingers vtapered tov correspond to thetaper ot said grooves and arranged on saidv carriers in cooperatingpairs, each pair being oli-set with respect to the other pair 'forentrance into the cooijierating grooves ot said shuttle tor supportingthe latter alternately on said carriers, said fingers having axiallengths suflicient to cause them to project into said grooves beyond thetransverse centers thereot' whereby said shuttle is supported at a fixedlevel against tilting out of its path oi: travel and transferring meanswhereby said shuttle is automatically transferred from the fingers otone carrier to the iingers oi the other carrier and vice versa.

In a loom` the combination ot a shuttle having grooves extendinglengthwise thereotl in olii-set pairs,` a pair ot' carriers arranged tobe reciprocated toward and away from each other, fingers on saidcarriers arranged in cooperating pairs` each pair being oli-set withrespect to the other pair and being arranged to enter the cooperatingShuttle grooves tor supporting said shuttle alter nately on saidcarriers, said fingers having axial lengths sutlieient to cause them toproject into said grooves beyond the transverse centers thereot wherebySaid shuttle is supported at a Vfixed level against tilting out of itspath ot travel. lugs tired on said shuttle, latching members adapted toalternately ensaid lugs and 'to be operated one by the othe' andreleased from said lugs whereby said shuttle is automaticallytransferred from one carrier to the other and vice versa and shieldingmeans extending over and beyond each pair ot fingers in the directionsot travel and over the latching members and lugs to enclose the samewhereby entanglement with the threads oit the shed is prevented,

In a loom, the combination ot a shuttle having grooves extendinglengthwise ot' the upper and lower faces thereof in eilt-.set pairs, apair ot carriers arranged to be reciprocatcd toward and away from eachother, fingers on said carriers arranged in cooperating vertical pairs,each pair being oil-set with respect to the other pair and beingarranged to enter the cooperating shuttle loo grooves for supportingsaid shuttle alternately on said carriers, said fingers having axiallengths sutficient to cause them to project into said grooves beyond thetransverse centers thereorl whereby said shuttle is supported at a tiredlevel against tilting out of its path ot' travel, lugs fined on theupper tace ot said shuttle, between the grooves thereon, latchingmembers pivotally mount-- ed to move in horizontal planes and adapted toalternately engage said lugs and to be operated one by the other andreleased from said lugs whereby said shuttle is automaticallytransferred from one carrier to the other and vice versa, springswhereby said latching members are maintained in and returned to theiroperative positions, and shielding means covering said fingers andlatching members and extending beyond the same in the directions of thetravel to prevent entanglen'ient with the warp threads,

T. In a loom, the combination oil a shuttle, a pair ot' carriers movabletoward and away trom eachother and arranged to receive and support saidshuttle in alternate sequence and a shielding device supported on eachcarrier and arranged to extend lengthwise of and transversely over theshuttie when the latter is carried thereby, the lshielding device of onecarrier beingI out ot line with the device ot' the other carrier andadapted to overlap the same when the carriers are in their innermostpositon whereby said shuttle is enclosed by said shielding devicesduring its transier trom one carrier to the other.

8. In a loom, the combination ot' a shuttle, a pair of carriers movabletoward and away from each other, iingers projecting in pairs from eachcarrier for supporting the shuttle in alternate sequence, guardsattached to the lingers ot each carrier and extending transversely overthe shuttle when the latter is in position thereon and a shieldconnecting the guards of each carrier and extending lengthwise of theshuttle along one side thereof when said shuttle is in position on agiven carrier.

9.' In a loom, the combination of a shuttle, a pair of carriers movabletoward and away from each other, uprights mounted upon the carriers, amember projecting from each upright, and forming therewith a unit, theouter end of which is rounded, the members extending toward each otherand having their outer surfaces tree from projections, lingersprojecting in pairs from the tree ends of said members t'or supportingthe shuttle in alternate sequence, and combined shields and gua-rdscarried by said members and extending lengthwise and transversely overthe shuttle when the latter is supported on a given carrier.

l0. In .a loom, the combination of' a shuttle, a pair Ot carriersmovable toward and away from each other, uprights mounted upon thecarriers, a member projecting from each upright, and forming therewith aunit, the outer end of which is rounded, the members extending towardleach other and having their outer surfaces tree from projections,lingers projecting in pairs trom the :tree ends ot said members for.supporting the shuttle in alternate sequence, and combined shields andguards carried by said members and eX- tending lengthwise andtransversely over the shuttle when the latter is supported on a givencarrier, the :tre-e ends ot the shields being tapered and the lingers,shield, and guard of one carrier being out of line with the tinv'ers,shield and guard of the other carrier.

ll. In the loom, the combination of a shuttle, carriers movable towardand away from each other, supporting devices on said carrier iorsupporting said shuttle in alternate sequence and protecting devicesmounted upon .said carriers and proj eating inwardly therefrom, saidprotecting devices in the innermost position of the carriers,cooperating to form a protecting enclosure for the shuttle and thesupporting devices.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

JONATHAN LUCAS.

